In defense of empathy

I will be reiterating many terms in the following text, so I thought it would be good to clarify what I mean. I am neither an academic nor a professional communicator, and I am certain there are more suitable terms than those I use, but this is my perspective on the matter.

I will be discussing the concepts of empathy, sympathy, sociopathy, sociopathic thinking, low-level empathy, and institutional/societal sociopathy. However, it is crucial to remember that when we discuss the mind, everything exists on a scale or spectrum, if you will. Humans are intricate beings, and it is rarely a matter of either/or.

Empathy: The capacity to comprehend and share the feelings of another. This is a fairly good, fundamental definition; however, there are actually two concepts involved:

Cognitive empathy: The ability to grasp another person’s thoughts or beliefs. To know how others see the world.

Emotional empathy: The ability to experience what another person feels emotionally. To understand them.

This distinction is very significant, as sociopaths are often quite skilled in cognitive empathy. Their understanding of others’ minds is what allows them to manipulate us so effectively. What they lack is emotional empathy; they are aware of how we feel and think, but they cannot share in our emotions. They do not possess the mirror neurons or whatever it is that allows us to experience the joys and pains of others. Moving forward, I will be using empathy in the emotional context, as I believe this is how it is generally understood.

Sympathy could also serve as a term for emotional empathy, but it does not resonate with me. Sympathy, in my view, is not always a positive thing; it is emotional empathy turned up to 11, it is excessive. I often say that I suffer from sympathy, meaning that the emotions of others impact me in a frequently debilitating way, often without my understanding why I feel this way. It is instinctive, unlike my moderate levels of cognitive empathy, which I have had to diligently cultivate.

Sociopathy: While not a scientific term, it is commonly referred to as Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), which is defined as a pattern of antisocial behaviors and attitudes, including manipulation, deceit, aggression, and a lack of empathy for others. Psychopathy is also not a scientific term, yet it is likely the term most frequently used in popular discussions. It is often framed within the concept of the Dark Triad: Psychopathy, Narcissism & Machiavellianism, with Sadism being a more recent addition. The common thread among these is the absence of emotional empathy (or, in the case of sadism, the perversion of empathy).

I use the term sociopathy (social disease/disorder) for two reasons:

1. The consequences of the disorder impact the community more than the individual (the individual does suffer, but they are unaware of it and do not seek a cure).
2. It is a term that carries less stigma than psychopath, which often suggests someone who is violent and criminal. A sociopath CEO can inflict far greater damage, often legally, than a psychopath mass murderer.

There is another term/idea that is relatively new, at least to me: Low empathetic people. This concept came to my attention in relation to studies conducted on supporters of MAGA and authoritarianism in general. These individuals possess empathy, but it is limited to their own “in-group,” and I believe they are significantly more dangerous than pure sociopaths. They have enough empathy to hold convictions, but not enough to care about those they classify as “out-group.” In fact, their ability to feel the pain of those similar to them makes it much easier for them to advocate for the dehumanization of those who are not.

What words & terms we use is less important (as long as we all comprehend each other). The key point is to distinguish between those who can feel other people’s joys & pains and those who can’t. Or more importantly: To tell the difference between good & evil.